The overweight problem is among the most pressing issues of the present day dietetics. More than 20% of the population suffers from various degrees of obesity, whereas for adult population aged over 40 years the overweight is a problem for more than 40%.
Today most treatments for overweight people that do not involve consultations with medical specialists consist mainly in modifying the diet and increasing physical exercise. The low energy diet (1200-1300 calories per day) is considered to be the most effective one, providing reduction of body weight by 6-7 kg within 6 months; however, the quantitative and qualitative restrictions on the food, as well as the need for certain changes in the eating habits and the daily routine, make the utilization of this technique rather difficult. Most patients that follow diets for a long time eventually go back to their usual eating habits, whereupon they gain back all of the lost weight.
Sibutramine, leptin and cholecystokinin are among the known drugs that influence the hunger centre in brain and lower the appetite. These drugs must be used under medical supervision due to high risk of such side effects as allergies, hypertension, tachycardia, etc.
Drugs that prevent absorption of fats in the intestine are also wide known and include biguanide derivatives, orlistat [see Encyclopedia of Drugs, edition 7, 2000, p. 475] and various herbal infusions. Orlistat inhibits intestinal lipase, thus blocking the breaking down of triglycerides in the intestine and reducing the absorption of free fatty acids and monoglycerides. Use of such drugs is almost always accompanied by diarrhoea, urgent bowel movements and fecal incontinence, resulting in significant inconveniences, for the patients.
It is a known fact that everyday intake of water is essential for humans. An adult individual must drink 2.0-2.5 liters of water every day. Water plays an important part in physiological processes of maintaining and/or changing the body mass. For example, fat is known to break down only in the presence of water. On the other hand, retention of water in the organism not only results in increased body mass and edemas, but can also increase the formation of fat deposits.
Due to the important hygienic role of water, its quality is rigorously standardized and controlled. Different countries set their own principal hygienic standards for drinking water, which are based on similar values (see Table 1).
Water from various natural sources contains mineral salts that define its taste as well as the therapeutic properties. Unlike therapeutic water, table water usually has low mineral content. Purified and then remineralized water is also popular. As a rule, such water falls into the table water category and is not intended for use in treatment or prevention of overweight.
A known composition comprises (mg/l):
Bicarbonate HCO31000-1200Sulfate SO4 900-1700Chloride Cl300-500Calcium Ca300-400Magnesium Mg<100Sodium + Potassium (Na + K) 700-1200Silicic acid H2SiO330-90Mineral content3.2-5.8 g/l
see “therapeutic mineral table water Novoterskaya Tselebnaya”, TU9185-003-36800549-02. This water is recommended, in particular, for obese people. However, a very high content of sodium and undefined minimal amount of magnesium make this composition inefficient in treating the overweight problem; the water does not have any noticeable spasmolytic effect that would suppress hunger and increase the peristalsis and lipolysis. Hunger spasms play an important part in creating the sense of hunger, because they are perceived by the individual as the demand for food.
Another known water, “natural mineral water Essentuki No. 4”, TU 9185-001-50243825-03, recommended for reducing the overweight problem, comprises (mg/l):
Bicarbonate HCO33900-4900Sulfate SO4<100Chloride Cl600-800Calcium Ca<100Magnesium Mg <75Sodium + Potassium (Na + K)1700-2700
This mineral water has the same disadvantages as Novoterskaya Tselebnaya water.
The content of the “therapeutic natural table water Rosinka”, TU-9185-001-05126800-97, is the closest one to the inventive engineering solution and comprises (mg/l):
Bicarbonate HCO3100-200Sulfate SO4<30Chloride Cl<80Calcium Ca<20Magnesium Mg<25Sodium + Potassium (Na + K)<30Mineral content0.3 g/l
The applicant performed analysis of the content of sodium and magnesium in 12 samples (12 bottles of Rosinka that were purchased in different sales points in St. Petersburg and Moscow). The results showed that the content of sodium in the samples varied from 24 to 35 mg/l, while the content of magnesium varied from 16 to 20 mg/l. However, as it was noted above, increased content of sodium causes retention of water in the organism; also this composition does not provide a noticeable spasmolytic effect.
Due to the abovementioned disadvantages, the “therapeutic natural table water Rosinka” has low efficiency in overweight treatment.